Clinical studies of type-I procollagen carboxyterminal peptide in serum of patients with gastric cancer: comparison with CEA and CA19-9.

The serum level of a newly developed monoclonal antibody against type-I procollagen carboxyterminal peptide (P-1-P) was determined in patients with gastric cancer. The location of P-1-P in gastric cancer tissue was also investigated. We found that: (1) The serum P-1-P level and the positivity rate in patients with gastric cancer were similar to those in patients with other malignant or benign GI diseases and healthy individuals. (2) In patients with gastric cancer, the P-1-P positivity rate was significantly lower than that of CEA or CA19-9. (3) In patients with gastric cancer, the P-1-P positivity rate increased as the disease stage advanced. (4) Among patients with gastric cancer, the P-1-P positivity rate was significantly higher in those with scirrhous type than in those with medullary or intermediate type. (5) P-1-P was detected in the cytoplasm of cancer cells. P-1-P staining was stronger in scirrhous type and histologically undifferentiated gastric cancer. These results show that P-1-P can serve as a good marker for scirrhous type gastric cancer. The production of collagen by cancer cells themselves seems to be involved in collagen production in scirrhous type gastric cancer.

Diagnostic value of measurement of serum type I procollagen carboxy terminal peptides in patients with scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach.

We have evaluated the radioimmunoassay for type I procollagen carboxy terminal peptide (type I C-peptide), which is liberated from type I procollagen during its conversion to collagen, in the serodiagnosis of scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach. The mean (SD) serum concentration of type I C-peptide in 39 normal subjects was 41.7 (19.7) ng/ml. The mean serum values and the positive ratio of type I C-peptide in 11 patients with stages II and III scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach were 91.2 (41.9) ng/ml and 54.5%, respectively. In 10 patients with other types of gastric carcinoma, the mean type I C-peptide values were not significantly different from the normal value. Serum type I C-peptide values reflected the clinical course of scirrhous gastric carcinoma in five patients who underwent either operation or chemotherapy. The measurement of serum type I C-peptide concentrations could provide a useful way of diagnosing and monitoring scirrhous carcinoma of the stomach.

[Local immunotherapy of breast cancer: a case of advanced breast cancer improved by combined local injection therapy with OK-432 and rIL-2].

An effective immunotherapy for breast cancer has yet to be established. We have recently experienced an inoperable case of advanced breast cancer due to mental disorder. Combined local injection therapy with OK-432 and rIL-2 was performed in addition to non-surgical multi-disciplinary treatment, with obvious therapeutic effects. The case is a 67-year-old female, who had a 5.0 x 4.7 cm tumor in the area A of the left mammary gland. Aspiration cytologic examination revealed class V breast cancer. Besides systemic chemotherapy, local injection therapy with OK-432 2.0 KE on day 1 and rIL-2 500 U on day 3 was performed. Upon starting local injection therapy, a rapid reduction was noted in the tumor diameter (reduction rate, 75.5%). Tumor makers of CEA, CA 15-3 also showed obvious diminution. Although the dose and interval of administration remain to be further examined, the combined local injection therapy with OK-432 and rIL-2 was suggested to be an effective local immunotherapy for breast cancer.

[Somatomedin activity in patients with malignant neoplasms]. / Somatomedinovaia aktivnost' u bol'nykh so zlokachestvennymi novoobrazovaniiami.

The effect of tumor on somatomedin level in blood was investigated. This index, which is generally high in patients with primary tumors of the breast, cervix uteri, colon rectum and prostate, was found to decrease in step with tumor progression (stages II-IV). In well--differentiated adenocarcinoma of the endometrium and large bowel, it was higher than in moderately- and poorly-differentiated forms. In breast cancer patients, a relatively high blood--somatomedin level was mostly observed in solid forms, this being matched by relatively high somatomedin levels in tumor tissue. The tissue of 60% of large bowel tumors was shown to produce an inhibitor of somatomedin activity. It is suggested that there is a relationship between blood-somatomedin level in cancer patients and tumor mediated by somatomedin-like and -inhibiting factors produced by it.

[Characteristics of 35S-lipoic acid absorption by the blood cells in breast cancer]. / Osobennosti pogloshcheniia 35S-lipoevoi kisloty kletkami krovi bol'nykh rakom molochnoi zhelezy.

The peculiar characteristics of 35S lipoic acid uptake by blood red cells in breast cancer patients were studied. The rate of 35S lipoic acid uptake by red cells in cancer patients was much higher than that in healthy female donors. The difference was less significant in cases of acute mastitis or benign tumors. The increased uptake of 35S lipoic acid by red cells may prove instrumental in the diagnosis and, probably, therapy of breast cancer.